Automatic device for operating hatch-covers for elevators.



No. 672,954. Patented Am. 30', l90l.

H. B. MURDOCK.

AUTOMATIC DEVICE FOR OPERATING HATCH COVERS FOB ELEVATORS.

(L zplication filed Apr. 26, 1900.) (lo lodol.) 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

l 7 gil g .7

Q fizz/6111b); Wifizemw; J HOmQBMWdOO/TI m B. in

l v T V Fl- No. 672,954. 'Patented Api'. 30 l90l.

H. B. MURDUCK. AUIUIATIC DEVICE FUR OPERATING HATCH COVERS FORELEVATORS.

. I A umin mea Apr. 26, 1900.

(lo llodel.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Tu: Noam s Pzrzns co, PHOTO-LITHQ, WASNINGYON. a. c.

No. 672.954. Patented Apr. 30, |90L H. B.' MURDUCK.

AUTOMATIC DEVICE FOR OPERATING HATCH COVERS FOB ELEVATQRS.

(Application filed Apr. 26, 1900.)

a sheets-sheet a.

(No Model.)

I NVLNTO P WITNE$SES1 TN: seams PEYERS co PHOTO-LUNG" WASHINUTljNAL'C.

UN I TE D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

, HORAOE' B. MURDOOK', OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR To THE ANDER- SONSAFETY ELEVATOR COMPANY, LIMITED, OF SAME PLA E.

AUTOMATIC DEVICE FOR OPERATING HATCH-COVERS FOR ELEVATORS.

SPEGIFXCATION formingpart of Letterslatent No. 672,954, dated April 30,1901. I

r ApplioationfiledApril 26,1900. cerialNo. 14,375. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern. above it, according to whether it belongs toBe it known that I, HORACE B. MURDOCK, a the upper or lower set,) all soconstructed and I citizen of the United States of America, residarrangedas to cooperate with each other in ing at Detroit, in the county ofWayne and the movement of the car, all as more fully 55 State ofMichigan, haveinvented certain new hereinafter described, and shown inthe acand useful Improvements in Automatic Decompanying drawings, inWhlCh'- vices for Operating Hatch-Covers for Eleva- Figure l is avertical section through two tors, of which the following is aspecification, hatch-openings with the elevator-car in posireferencebeinghad therein tothe accompanytion .for removing the hatch-cover fromthe 60 1o ing drawings. 7 upper hatch-opening and' placing one in the 1This invention relates to elevator attachlower one as in the act ofgoing up. Fig.2 ments in which the hatch-openings in the; is an enlargedelevation of one of the four floors are closed by the hatch-coverscarried like corners of the elevator-platform, show by the elevator-carand. depositedin hatching a set of three devices for supportingaset 65openings in its ascent and descent, and the inof three lowerhatch-covers beneath the platventionis particularly designed to form animform, the housing which incloses the devices provement on the devicedescribed inUnited being omitted. Fig. 3 is ave'rtical section StatesLettersPat-entNo.592,933. In the afore- 1 through the corner of-theplatform on line w a: said Letters Patent devices are described for inFig. 2 in connection with a sectional ele- 7oOperatingasetofhatch-coverscarried beneath. vation of one of the fourlike devices in each the platform of the elevator-car in suchmanhatch-opening for supporting a hatch-cover ner that in passingthrough each hatch-Open; in said opening, the drawings illustrating the.ing it releases one of the hatch-covers and operation of the parts asin releasing one of leaves it in the hatch-opening, and when the thelower set of hatch-covers from the plat- 75 elevator-car goes down thehatch-covers are form and depositing it in the hatch-opening againautomatically removed and carried as in the ascent of the elevator-car,the full down with the car beneath its platform. -Itlines showing theparts in position while the is also old to carry a set of hatch-coversoncover is still carried beneath the elevatortop of the elevator-car andoperate them by' platform and the. dotted lines after it has 80 osuitable devices to be automatically deposited beenreleased. Fig. 4 is asectionaljelevation one by one in the hatch-opening on the de-: of thedevice forsupporting the hatch-covers scending of the elevator-car, andit is cusin a hatch-opening, showing its operation in tomary to equip anelevator with both deconnection with a hatch-cover carried on top vices,so that asthe car goes up it removes of the elevator-car when theelevator-car de- 85 5 one set of hatch-covers from the openings andscends. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the carries them upon top of thecar and deactuating-cam and gear-segment. Fig. 6 is posits the other setsuspended beneath the a detached plan view of one of the four armsplatform in the hatch-openings after passing with which the upper set ofhatch-covers are through, and vice versa, in descending. provided forsupporting them in the hatch- 90 My invention primarily consists incertain openings. Fig.7 isadetached plan view of one improvements in thedevice described in the of the four arms with which each hatch-coverabove Letters Patent, whereby the same deof the lower set is provided tosupport it in the vice is applicable'for,operating either set ofhatch-openings. Fig. 8 is a plan view of a hatch-covers singly or incombination toportion of one. of the sliding bolts, showing 5 gether. wI the cut-out portion. Fig. 9 ,isa section on To this end the inventioncomprises the line y y, Fig. 8. Fig. 10 isa perspective view novelconstruction, arrangement, and opera-. "of the lower end of one of thehangers, showtion of two sets of supporting devices for each ing thecut-out portion.

. hatch-cover, one set for supporting it in the; In the drawings, Arepresentsthe floors in I00 hatch-opening and the other set for supportabuilding, provided with the usual hatching it on the elevator-car,(either beneath or openings, throughwhich the elevator-car B in itsascent and descent is to pass. 0 is the platform of the elevator-car,and D is one of the two vertical guide-posts, all constructed andarranged to operate in the usual manner.

F represents the hatch-covers for closing the hatch-openings. They maybe of any known construction, preferably as described in the aforesaidLetters Patent, in which a tubular outer frame is used filled in withWirenetting and asbestos. The covers of the upper and lower set arealike, and each is provided at or near the four corners withoutwardly-projecting brackets to support the covers in thehatch-openings in the usual manner at four points on opposite sides. Thebrackets G of the lower set of hatch-covers have arms 1), between whichare mounted the rubber roller-bufiers a, separated by a metallicantifriction-wheel a, all arranged as shown in Fig. 7.

H represents pivoted hangers or carryinglatches for supporting thehatch-covers from the platform of the elevatorcar. These hangers orcarrying-latches are arranged in groups at the sides of the platform,near the corners, and each consists of a bar pivoted at its upper endupon a common bed-plate and formed atits lower end with anoutwardlyprojecting shoulder (1, adapted to form a support or seat forthe rubber buffers a of the hatch-covers, said shoulder having a cut-outportion (1 for the reception of the wheel a. The hanger engages betweenguide-lugs d and is backed bya spring a, which presses it outwardly asfar as a stop 0 beneath the extreme upper end will allow, a set-screw cin the end of the hanger adjusting the hanger in its normal position.The hangers of each group are suitably stepped off, and the brackets Gof the hatch-covers are correspondingly placed in line with the hangers,so that each cover is independently supported by four hangers, one belowthe other. Each hanger is rounded off below the supporting-shoulder toform a cam c, and each group is partially inclosed within a housing I,detachably se cured, and'the upper end of this housing is beveled 01fand forms a cam I.

J represents the sliding supports for the covers in the hatch-openings.Each support comprises a casingf, a sliding bolt it, having a cut-outportion h, said bolt being guided in the casing and provided withrack-teeth, a toothed segment 1', secured upon a shaftj, or preferablymade integral with the shaft, and a double cam 70, secured upon the endof the sh aftj, all so arranged that by turning the cam from theposition shown in full lines in Fig. 3 into the position shown in dottedlines the bolt is projected, while the reverse movement retracts it intothe casing.

To limit the movement in either direction, the gear-segment has at bothends the plain portions 1', which act as stops'in connection with thebolt. I also construct the cam 70 with rubbing faces 70 by securingpieces of rawhide in recesses made in the faces of the cam. They alsodeaden the noise. There are four of these supporting devices in eachhatch-opening, the sliding bolts thereof being in line with the rubberbuffers a of one of the hatch-covers and adapted to support the samewhen projected outwardly, while the cams k are in vertical line with aset of four wipers secured to the sides of the platform, one set ofwipers for each hatch-opening. These wipers are preferably made integralwith the base-plate of the hangers and project beyond the housing, asshown in Fig. 3, havinga suitable shoulder 70' for securing the housingI thereto.

Lrepresents the brackets which are secured to opposite sides of theframe-bars of those hatch-covers which form the upper set carried on topof the elevator-car and by means of which they are supported in thehatch openings. As shown in detail in Figs. 4and 6, the brackets aremade with a finger Z, adapted to strike the cam in the descent of theelevator-car, and thereby project the bolt 71, so that the cover mayrest thereon while the car descends. Z represents suitable buffers onthe under sides of said brackets to deaden the noise incidental totheoperation. The brackets on the upper covers, the same as those of thelower covers, arein alinement with and cooperate only with thesupporting devices of that particular hatch -opening which the cover isdesigned to close, and all of these brackets on both the upper and lowercovers are adjustably secured on the covers, except for those of theuppermost and lowermost hatch-opening, for which the bracket may beformed integral with the corner-pieces.

M represents suitable buflfers in the four corners of the upperhatch-covers, so that in picking up these covers they will benoiselessly piled up on the top of the car, the lowermost of these uppercovers being preferably fixedly secured on top of the car, as shown inFig. 1, so that it may close the hatchopening in the first floor whilethe elevatorcar is in the basement. To prevent the platform from swayingwhile passing through the hatch-openings, suitable guides Q Q aresecured in the openings and on the platform, respectively.

The parts being constructed and arranged as shown and described, theyare intended to operate as follows: Supposing in Fig. 1 the elevator-carto be ascending and carrying a cover freely suspended below it by fourhangers, as H, (two on a side,) while the hatchopening on the floorabove is closed bya cover F, supported upon the bolts of foursupportingdevices, it will be seen that as the top of the elevator-car passesthrough a hatch-opening it lifts 01f the cover and carries it up withit, and thus the covers of all the hatch-openings through which theelevator-car passes will be lifted off one after another and piled up ontop of the elevator-car. In the upward passage of the platform through ahatch-opening the cam 1, formed by the upper end of the housing I, firstpushes back the sliding rectly below their shoulders,and the cover th usremains behind, supported in the hatch-opening by the rubber buffersresting upon the bolts h, as shown in dotted linesin Fig. 3. The hangersafter being pushed out of engagement with the buffers a are Withdrawn onthe further upward movement of the platform with little friction byreason of the metal disk at making arolling contact with the hanger.Supposing the elevator-car to be on its downward trip, the platform inapproaching a hatch-opening will cause one set of four wipers to strikethe lower horns of the cams k of the four supporting devices of thecover in the hatch-opening and retract the bolts, while at the same timefour hangers are pushed in behind the rubber buffers a of thesupportingbrackets of the cover and reengage with the same, so that inthe further downward movement it is carried down with the platform. Asthe top .of the elevator-car passes down through a hatch-opening thefingers Z of the uppermost cover carried on top of the elevator-car willstrike the upper horn of the cams k, and thereby again project the boltsh, as plainly shown in Fig. 4, thus leaving one of the upper set ofcovers suspended in the hatch-opening. It will thus be seen that withbut a single set of supports in each opening I am enabled to supportboth sets of covers thereon in either the ascent or descent of theelevator-car, which is a decided advantage.

I do not claim anything new as to construe-. tion of the devices forsupporting the covers in the hatch-openings or from the platform, asthese and the manner of their operation are substantially the same as inthe aforesaid Letters Patent, except as to the brackets G of the lowerhatch-cover, which I have secured adj ustably upon the frame-bars of thecover and provided with a metal wheel a between the rubber buifers a.This is a distinct improvement, as it prevents the hangers from draggingthe covers by holding the camface a of the hangers out of contact withthe rubber buffers in the act of releasing or reengaging said hangerswith the covers, while the shoulders of the hangers and the slidingbolts h are suitably grooved to keep them out of contact with the metalwheel. Aside from this specific improvement my invention relatesmainl'y'to the construction of the hatchcovers forming the upper set,whereby the same supports in the hatch-openings provided for the lowerset are adapted to cooperate with them. To this end said covers havebeen provided with the brackets L and fingersl and the platform with thecam I, which for the sake of simplicity have been formed as part of thehousing, but obviously may be made independent projections.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In an automatic device for operatinghatch-covers for elevators, the combination of a hatch-opening having asingle set of sliding support-s fixed in said hatch-opening and adaptedto be automatically projected and retracted by the movement of the carin either direction, a cover for said hatch-opening sus pended beneaththe platform of the car from the car itself, means operated by themovement of the car to disconnect said cover from the car and support itin the hatch-opening on the ascent of the car, and a second coversupported on'top of the ear adapted to close said hatchway and separatemeans oooper'at ing with the same supports in the hatch-opem ing in themovement of the car to automatically project and retract said supportstosupport said second cover in the hatch-opening in the descent of thecar.

2. In a device for operating hatch-covers for elevators, the combinationof two sets of hatch-covers, one detachably suspended beneath theplatform of the car and the other supported on top thereof, and adaptedto close the hatch-openings alternately in the ascent and descent of thecar, a single set of sliding supports in each hatchway adapted tosupport one of either set of covers, said sliding supports being adaptedto automatically engage with and support said hatch-covers in theascending and descending movement of the car.

3. In a device for operating hatch-covers for elevators, the combinationwith the elevator-car, of carrying-latches dependent from the platformof the car, a lower set of hatchcovers with which said carrying-latchesare adapted to automatically engage, to support said covers below thecar, means for tripping said carrying-latches in the hatch-openings, .inthe ascent of the car, an upper independ ent set of hatch-coverssupported on top of the car, sliding supports in each hatch-openingadapted to engage with and'support said hatch-covers in the hatchwaysand means for automatically projecting and retracting said supports inboth the ascending and descending movement of the car.

4. In a device for operating hatch-covers for elevators, the combinationwith an elevator-car, a hatch-cover supported on top of said car andprovided with brackets as L, sliding bolts mounted in the hatch-openingsand adapted to support said hatch-cover in the hatch-opening, cams as kfor projecting and retracting said sliding bolts, fingers as lon thecover for actuating said cams in one direction and a cam as I on theplatform for operating said cam in the other direction by the movementof the car.

5. In a device for operating hatch-covers for elevators, the combinationwith the ele- IIO vator-car, of carrying-latches dependent from theplatform of the car, a lower set of hatchcovers with which saidcarrying-latches are adapted to engage to support said covers below thecar, means for automatically operating said latches in the movement ofthe car, an upper set of covers supported on top of the car and meanscommon to both sets of covers for supporting the same in thehatchopening, said means comprising a series of sliding bolts secured ineach hatch-opening and means carried bythe car and upper covers forprojecting and retracting said bolts in either the upward or downwardmovement of the car.

6. In a device for operating hatch-covers for elevators, the combinationwith the elevator-car, of a hatch-cover normally resting on top of theelevator car and adapted to close the hatch-opening of theelevator-shaft, sliding bolts secured in the hatch-opening and andcarrying-latches for suspending the hatch- 30 covers from the platformof the car, the supporting-brackets G of the hatch-covers provided withthe rubber buffers a and the metal wheel a interposed between the rubberbuffers and of larger diameter than the butfers. 35'

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HORACE B. lVIURDOCK.

Witnesses:

OTTO F. BARTHEL, Jos. A. NOELKE.

